The Easy Arthritis Diet Cookbook: 75 Anti-Inflammatory Recipes to Manage Symptoms

This is an excellent cookbook. It is a must have even if you don't have arthritis. Hats off to the author. Thank you for creating a delicious, easy to follow, creative recipes. Can't wait to try them all.

As an Arkansas redneck, my favorite foods are fried hog meat with extra fat and runny fudge, so I resisted learning about a healthy diet. But I was converted by Ruth Frechman's new book, The Easy Arthritis Diet Cookbook. I was motivated by my nearly 82-year-old arthritic fingers that keep dropping things and the ache in my back when I pick them up. I trust Ruth because of her 30 years experience as a nutritionist and because of her bestselling book, The Food Is My Friend Diet, that helps people lose weight by eating healthier. This new book gives “75 Anti-Inflammatory Recipes to Manage Symptoms.” I was encouraged that I actually like some of the foods in a beginning picture—salmon, avocado, shrimp, beans, and nuts. I also liked that she promises quick and easy recipes that are also flavorful and delicious. Ruth admits that arthritis is not reversible but reassures that it can be managed. This book lists foods that increase inflammation and ones that decrease it, like foods rich in omega-3, fatty acids, herbs and spices, and anti-oxidants—tuna, salmon, sardines (shock!), fruit, and vegetables. She gives useful tips for quick and easy cooking, like doubling recipes and freezing leftovers. She recommends vitamin C-rich foods, like cantaloup and citrus fruits. She warns the reader about which foods to moderate, like alcohol (one drink a day—relief!), dairy (if allergic or lactose intolerant), refined grains, shellfish, inflammatory fats, cheese, and coconut oil. She gives “Easy Tips for Managing Diet,” like to cut food into small pieces to give the illusion you have more food and to wait 20 minutes before your second helping to allow satiety to kick in. The sections in the book are well organized and visual with pretty, pertinent pictures. One section gives a list of alphabetized foods that fight inflammation—beginning with apples and ending with zucchini. The list of foods to eat moderately begin with sweetened breakfast foods and end with waffles. The list of foods to avoid that worsen inflammation begin with bacon and end with wine, beer, and spirits. One of the most useful sections is “The Arthritis Pantry.” I was surprised that peanut butter and popcorn were in it. I was not surprised by chia seeds, quinoa, and brown rice. The section, “About Easy Recipes in This Book” emphasizes advice like “5 or Fewer Ingredients” and “One-Pot Meal.” Then she gives 115 pages of clear, detailed, tempting recipes. My favorites are the following: “Breakfast & Smoothies”--“homemade granola” and “nutty banana peanut butter frittata.” “Snacks and Staples”--“roasted coconut cashews” and “BBQ popcorn.” “Vegetables & Sides”--“curry roasted cauliflower” and “Mexican-inspired street corn without the cob.” “Soups & Salads”--“broccoli and baked potato soup with chicken.” “Vegetarian & Vegan” (which I resisted the most)--“cashew mac and cheese.” “Fish & Seafood”--“stovetop tuna farro casserole.” “Poultry & Meat”--“lemony roasted chicken and root vegetables” and “spicy pork and peanut stir-fry.” “Desserts”--“chocolate cherry chia pudding.” Ruth ends her book with useful and well-researched “Measurement Conversions,” Resources--Websites about Arthritis,” and “Articles about Arthritis & its Symptoms.” I look forward to trying her recipes and living the rest of my years with less arthritic pain.

Organized well with lots of choices. Lists inflammatory foods.

When I learned Ruth Frechman had a new book coming out, I pre-ordered it immediately. Arthritis is a developing problem for me so I was eager to see which foods can help with symptoms. I really liked that 'The Easy Arthritis Diet Cookbook" offered valuable eating tips for better health combined with easy yummy recipes.The book has 75 recipes using an interesting combination of ingredients, like a three-berry sauce over salmon or a blueberry peach cobbler for dessert. Those will be my first forays into this cookbook. There is even a chapter of recipes for vegetarian or vegan foodies to dive into. Just flip through the book and find truly delicious offerings that can be put together with relative ease. I also love a cookbook with colorful photos that illustrate the easy recipes. Perfect!Get a handle on your arthritis and eat for your health. Check out The Easy Arthritis Diet Cookbook.

This book may inspire me to cook!See, when I first saw the cover and it had the word, ‘arthritis’ on it, I figured I might benefit, since multiple doctors have told me I have the condition – in both knees, at least one shoulder, and probably in a bunch of other areas.So, I ordered the book, and to my surprise when I received it I realized that I had somehow missed the last word in the title – ‘cookbook’. I have never in my life used a cookbook to make anything, but I started reading the book anyway since at the beginning it offers tips on what food and beverages are good for arthritic me, which ones are bad, and which are OK in moderation. (Of course, in my silly mind, which Ms. Frechman would disagree with, nothing was bad for me – even the supposed ‘bad’ of bacon – if consumed in moderation.)Her listing is very useful in itself, although not all was news to me. I already knew sugar was bad and broccoli was good, but there were some surprises, including that some foods are actually good (e.g. popcorn).Then I scanned through the book, at times looking at specific recipes. I was especially enamored of the dessert recipes.Each of the recipes includes not only the ingredients and what you should do with them, but also the prep and cooking time. So, I may, for the first time, use a recipe found in a cookbook, concentrating on those with five or fewer ingredients, and take no more than thirty minutes to make -- prep and cook. I was especially drawn to the Raspberry Walnut Cream, which has just four ingredients plus water, and takes just ten minutes to prepare. And I don’t need to risk burning myself by using the oven.It would be useful to know if cleanup time was brief, but this book wisely does not provide that information.I liked this book so much I might turn it over to my wife, who likes to cook, and is concerned for my health.I have already showed her the book and she is impressed.